NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Türkiye's cooperation with the BRICS group does not conflict with Ankara's membership in the US-led NATO military bloc.
Mr. Mark Rutte affirmed that Türkiye has the right to cooperate with BRICS without weakening its position as a NATO member.
The NATO chief made the comments at a press conference in Estonia on October 22. Asked by Estonian public radio whether Ankara's desire to become a member of BRICS, which the station described as a "Russian-dominated organization", was a cause for concern, Mr Rutte stressed that Turkey remained "a very important ally in the alliance" because it was "one of the best-equipped military forces in NATO".
Ankara plays a "vital role within NATO's geographical reach," the secretary general added.
“It is clear that within the 32-member alliance there will always be debates about this and that,” the secretary-general acknowledged. However, he stressed that Ankara has the “ultimate right” to pursue BRICS membership and cooperate with its members.
“That may lead to debates here and there, bilaterally or within NATO. But that does not mean that Türkiye is not supported,” Mr. Rutte said.
“NATO is very popular in Türkiye and Türkiye is very popular in NATO,” Secretary General Mark Rutte added, asserting that he believed this would remain the case.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is currently attending the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, where he met with President Vladimir Putin to discuss bilateral relations, the Ukraine crisis and the situation in the Middle East.
Last month, Ankara announced it had formally applied to join BRICS – becoming the first NATO country to seek membership in the group.
However, Turkey's application to join BRICS has raised concerns in the European Union (EU). EU spokesman Peter Stano stressed that Ankara - an EU candidate since 1999 - must respect the EU's values and foreign policy, although it has the right to choose which international organization to join.
Turkish officials previously told the Middle East Eye that while BRICS is not seen by Ankara as an alternative to NATO or the EU, the “stalled EU accession process” has encouraged Ankara to explore “other economic platforms.”
